Foster’s injury opens door for Tate to see more reps

Running back Arian Foster’s strained calf muscle means backup Ben Tate is going to get a lot of snaps with the first team during the Texans’ organized team activities.

Foster, who rushed for 1,424 yards and scored an NFL-best 17 touchdowns last season, caused his coaches and teammates to hold their breath about midway through Tuesday’s OTA.

Foster got the ball on a handoff, took a step and then grabbed his right leg. He was helped off the field. After his right calf was wrapped with ice, he watched practice for a while before taking a cart inside Reliant Stadium for treatment.

“(He) strained his calf,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “We’re going to get it looked at. I don’t know, it was the first play of team, so we’ll see.”

Foster underwent an MRI on Tuesday. Kubiak will discuss the results and how long the running back will be sidelined after today’s OTA.

“It’s always concerning,” Kubiak said. “You’re trying to get better out here and work everybody. It’s part of football.”

Like the other Texans, receiver Andre Johnson was concerned when he first saw Foster had been injured.

“We were running a play, and I just saw him limping back off the field,” Johnson said after practice. “I don’t know exactly what happened. If it was real bad, I think we would’ve known about it by now. I don’t think that it’s (anything) real bad.

“I went through that myself, going down without being touched (with a hamstring injury). That’s just the nature of this business. You just have to find a way to recover from it and come back stronger.